Testing Love
by ShadowLegacy11
Summary: This is the second installment of the "Tiger Love" series, and this story continues with the story of Thorin Oakenshield and Joanna Stark on the quest to take back the Lonely Mountain from the evil dragon Smaug. Will they succeed, and with their love that's just blossoming be strong enough to make it through the journey? Read to find out!
1. Shifters Unite

AN: Hello everybody! I finally got the motivation to finally sit my butt down and write the next chapter of the tale of Joey and Thorin! WOOOT! One more thing. I change a little bit of Joey's tiger side. I won't spoil anything right now, but I'm sure you'll know what I mean when you read it.

Hopefully everyone will enjoy the story, and will REVIEW! You have no idea how much I love reading your guys' reviews, and thank you for staying with me this far. But let's get on with the show, shall we?

This will be the only disclaimer I will put on this story. I OWN NOTHING RELATED TO THE HOBBIT! I merely own my own character Joey Stark, and anyone you don't recognize from the Hobbit world.

Testing Love

Chapter One:

Shifters Unite!

In history, people believed that any were-creature were thought to be servants of witches, and were nothing but mindless beasts. And a part of that history is true. When tiger shifters first came to be, they were mindless, but only in their tiger form. The animal side of the brain would take over completely, and nothing would be safe from the monster.

But, as time went on, the tiger shifters evolved with time, and the "animal" side of them because more controlled. It was still a feral mind, but the part that made the tiger shifter human was still there and conscious during the shifting stages. Whenever a tiger shifter changes into the full tiger form, the human mind is there, but also the feral mind. It's two beings working together to create an amazing feral creature. The Tiger Shifter.

And currently, a tiger shifter stretches, making sure that a certain Orc pack hasn't caught up with her and the group. This tiger shifter is Joanna "Joey" Stark. She's the sole female in this courageous group, with one sole purpose. Helping this group of dwarves reclaim their home. Flexing her fingers, a image flashed across Joey's mind, it was seeing her family being slaughtered because of their heritage. Being slaughtered because of something they can't help. They weren't human.

It wasn't uncommon for Tiger Shifters to be hunted. They were hunted for their skins, and not just the tiger hair. While in human form, as Joanna is, there are fine designs on her back in the formation of tiger stripes. This skin, when made into a leather like substance sells for thousands. And for that reason, Joey's family was hunted down and killed.

But luckily, Joanna was out hunting with the cubs, so the children were spared from the massacre. Mere months later, Joey had left the cubs with a distant family clan, and left to go on her own. She was wondering around until she was struck by lightening and thrown against a very familiar hobbit's door. And here she is now...

"Soooo..." the brunette, Joey, drawn out, her golden eyes scanning over the company, checking for any injuries. They had just fought a pack of Orcs, and flown miles away on the back of Eagles, who came to the aid of the company because of the distress call that Gandalf sent off. "Wonder how much the Orcs got on us while we took forever to get down..."

Bilbo, the burglar hobbit, snapped his head to glare at her. "Do not speak like that, Joey!"

Shrugging, the tiger shifter tilted her head back and sniffed the air. "I can't get a scent from here. I need to climb up and get a better view."

"I will join you," the hobbit spoke up, pointing to a rock formation that looked easier to climb. "Let's see if we can spot the Wargs, shall we?"

With a feral grin plastered on her face, Joey let her claws grow from her nails. "Oh... Let's!" And with that, she stabs her claws into the rock and began climbing, with the sneaky hobbit right behind her.

Once they reach the tip top of the rock formation, Bilbo peeks his head over the formation, and his eyes zeros in on the pale Orc, Azog, and his Warg Scouts. They were running along the ridgeline not too far away from the Company's location. Some of the Wargs turned their noses to the air, similar to the way Joey done, and sniffed for the Company.

But apparently luck was on the Company's side, for the wind was blowing towards them, thus keeping their scent from the Warg's nose. When the Wargs couldn't find anything, they continued on their way.

"Phew . . ." Joey breathed. "That was close . . ." Nodding, Bilbo agreed wholeheartedly. "Let's head ba-" Joanna stopped what she was doing as a new scent hit her nose, and it was close. She stood up straighter, still hidden from the Wargs, and looked around, looking for the location of the scent.

"J-Joey . . .!" Bilbo squeaked out, making Joey turn to look at the hobbit. "What is that?!"

Joey looked past where Bilbo was standing, and gasps softly. "Fuck . . .!" she cursed. "Get down now! Warn the others!" Joey hissed, pushing the hobbit down with her hand, as her eyes doesn't leave the bear that was roaring at the Wargs direction.

Joey could spot another shifter easily, but this one was rare. Joey hasn't ever met a Bear Shifter in her lift, since they prefer the mountain air. But this . . . This wasn't a normal shifter.

"He's not in control . . ." she breathed out softly, not wanting to draw attention on herself. "Fuck . . . Middle Earth's shifters haven't evolved enough . . . The beast is still in control . . ."

_**~You seem surprised . . .~ **_a voice in the back of Joey's mind rose, making a shifter rack through out her body. It was the feral side of her mind. This feral part of her mind has been named Saber, courtesy of Joey herself.

~Shut up,~ Joey snapped, focusing on the bear again. She pushed the feral part of her brain to the back and tried to get a reading on the state of the bear, hoping she misread the mannerisms. She didn't. The bear part of the mind is in full control.

Suddenly, the bear snapped it's head towards Joanna, and roared loudly. _**"I WILL KILL ANYTHING IN MY FOREST!"**_ the roar said, making Joey's head rattle.

Because of the feral side of her mind, it gave Joanna the gift to understand other animals in the world, shifter or not. And right now, Joey didn't really want to hear the bear's opinion on her.

Jumping down quickly from her and Bilbo's look out point, Joey reunited with the Company, panting. She wanted to get away from the bear. Now. But that didn't seem likely since the company was bombarding the poor hobbit.

"How close is the pack?!" Dwalin practically demanded. Dwalin was easily the biggest dwarf in the company, and the most intimidating. With his shaved head, and heavy axe, he wasn't one to be messed with.

"Too close!" Bilbo squeaked out. "A couple of leagues, no more."

"But that's not the worst of it," Joey interrupted, jumping down in the middle of the company.

"Why?" Thorin demanded. Thorin Oakenshield. He was the leader of the company. He is the rightful King of the Lonely Mountain, and by God, Joey was going to help him reclaim it.

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin inquired.

"Not yet," Bilbo stated.

The tiger of the group ran a hand through her messy hair. "The wind is our friend at the moment, blowing our scent away from the Warg pack." Sighing, Joey looks at Thorin and Gandalf. "But we have an even worse problem."

"They SEEN you?!" Gandalf shouted, aghast at the fact that this tactful hunter, Joey, and the quiet burglar, Bilbo, could have been spotted by a back of Orcs.

"NO!" Joey practically screamed. "There's something ELSE out there!" At that piece of information, the whole company looked worried.

Gandalf strides in front of the tiger and the burglar. "What form did it take?" he demanded, locking eyes with Joanna. "Like a bear?"

"Exactly," Joey stated, her eyes narrowing at Gandalf. This wizard new more than he was letting on, and Joey was going to get to the bottom of it. But before she could get a question out, Bilbo cut her off.

"But much bigger!" Bilbo offered.

Bofur whirled to Gandalf, his hat flopping on his head. "You knew about this beast?!" he demanded. Gandalf didn't answer, but took a few steps away. At being blown off by the wizard, Bofur looked at the group. "I say we double back."

"And be run down by a pack of Orcs," Thorin countered. It wasn't a question. It was the truth. If they turned back now, Azog would find them and they would most likely be slaughtered by the revengeful Orc.

While the company thought about a plan about what to do, Joey walked over to Gandalf. That bear, it's like me, isn't it?" Joey demanded, her eyes never wavering from Gandalf's. "It's a shifter, right?" The wizard stayed quiet. "Why didn't you warn me? The shifters here don't know how to control their animal, do they?" No answer. "ANSWER ME," Joey growled out, her feral side drizzling over the demand.

But the wizard never answered her as he looked back at the company. "There is a house, it's not far from here. We may take refuge there."

"Whose house?" Thorin demanded, taking away any chance Joey had to confront Gandalf. "Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither," Gandalf stated, watching as the company visibly relaxed at it not being foe. "He will either help us, or he will kill us."

"That's encouraging," Joey muttered, somewhat getting an answer to her earlier question. A noise from the woods behind the company makes Joanna snap her head towards the noise. The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up, a sense of danger evident.

_**"Kill . . . Kill . . . Kill . . ." **_the noises kept saying, an animalistic growl behind the words.

"What choice do we have?" Thorin asked.

Right then, a roar rips out behind the company. It's the bear. _**"KILL THE INTRUDERS!" **_

"None," Gandalf mumbled.

"We got to run. NOW!" Joey screamed, grabbing Thorin's hand and runs after Gandalf, who was leading them and the Company towards the house he spoke about.

It wasn't long before the group broke free from the forest that they were hiding from the Orcs in, but now they found themselves running across plains, nothing but flat land. But the only thing that gave the company peace of mind was the fact that there was a house, just like Gandalf said.

"Now we just have to reach it!" Joey panted, running closer to the back of the company. If the bear caught up with them, Joey had made it her responsibility to face the beast, since she was a shifter herself. It seemed only right.

"TO THE HOUSE!" Gandalf shouted, giving some hope to the company. "RUN!"

This boosts up the company's determination to reach the house, even Bombur. The fattest dwarf in the company was even able to outrun the rest of the company. Even in the dire situation they were in, that piece of information made Joey crack a smile.

_**~Even fat creatures can run . . .~ **_Saber growled in the back of her mind. A mental image of a tiger licking it's chops flashed across her mind, and it made Joey growl in response. These dwarves were her friends, not food. _**~But they could be,~**_ Saber hummed again in Joey's mind.

Shaking her head, Joey focused on the task at hand, reaching that house. Making sure no stragglers were behind her, Joey passed through the gate to the home. A familiar scent hit Joey's nose, and it made her growl. It belonged to the bear, confirming her thoughts about the creature being a shifter. That damn Gandalf knew and didn't answer her questions.

Speaking of the wizard, he was yelling at the company to open the door. "OPEN IT! NOW!" he yelled, watching as the much shorter-than-him dwarves trying to open the door, but it doesn't budge.

"You might want to hurry!" Joey stated. "He's getting closer!"

Upon hearing that, Thorin pushed through the dwarves, who were pressed against the door, and reached up to raise the lock on the door. The action allowed the door to open and the company raced inside. Thorin counted the group, and noticed that Joey was still outside. "Joanna!" he shouted, his voice dripping with concern.

The tiger shifter glances at the Thorin before another roar rips out, making her snap her head towards the woods as the bear rips out passed the trees, and locks eyes with Joey. It was huge, and looked like it had its fair share of battle wounds on him. And the second it caught eyes with Joey, he rushed, and he was fast.

Joey couldn't move, she was locked in place at the crazed look in the bears eyes. She . . . She doesn't look like that when she shifts, does she? Saber doesn't take over that much . . . right?

Thorin couldn't take it. He seen _HIS_ Joanna standing there and locked eyes with this creature. And the King of the Lonely Mountain wasn't going to take it any longer. He runs out and grabs Joey's arm, making her snap her eyes to his. Golden eyes met brown, and Thorin's eyes immediately noticed the fear and shame mixed in.

But they didn't have time to dwell on it, as Thorin practically drags Joey into the house as the company tries to shut the door. But apparently the few seconds that it took Thorin to get him and Joey inside the house, because the second they company tries to shut the door, the bear's head has gotten into the door frame, snapping it's jaws.

_**"Must kill! They're in home!" **_the bear growled, snapping its jaws at any dwarf that gets too close to shut the door.

The bear roars the same phrase again, trying to open the door and slaughter the group that's in its home. But at the same time, the company yells and strains to close it, even terrified little Bilbo pulls out his sword and points it at the bear. Seeing everyone so determined to live, Joey stood up and growls, jumping over to push against the door. And with a final push, the dwarves manages to close the door and drop the lock bolt across it.

"What is that?!" Ori, the youngest of the company, heaved, looking at the door in wonder.

"That's our host," Joey stated, her eyes snapping over to the wizard. "Isn't he, Gandalf?" At Joey's little statement, the company turns wide eyes in bewilderment to the wizard.

"Yes," the wizard finally admitted. "His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer." A soft growl from the girl of the group was a clear sign she didn't like the way the wizard was talking. "Sometimes he's a huge black bear, and sometimes he's a great strong man." Locking eyes with Joanna, Gandalf said his next statement directly to her, answering her earlier question. "The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with."

Joey snorted, before turning and looking at the house they were in. It was huge, even for Gandalf. Everything looked like it was made for a man well over seven, or even eight, foot tall. "Damn . . ." she mused.

"He's leaving!" Ori cheered.

"Come away from there!" Dori squealed, pulling Ori away. The mother hen actions peaking out again, Dori watched the door carefully, afraid that Beorn would attack again. "It's not natural, none of it!" Dori stated. "It's obvious: he's under some dark spell!"

Joey winced at the statement, and she wrapped her arms around her torso, suddenly feeling very vulnerable.

"Joanna?" Thorin asked, placing a finger under her chin and makes her look at him. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing . . ." Joey hummed.

"Do not lie to me, Joanna," Thorin growled lightly, his eyes narrowing at hers. Joey doesn't answer, but she glances at Dori and Nori, who never paused in their conversation. "Did they offend you?"

"They didn't mean too, I'm sure . . ."

And as if on cue, Ori looked at Dori, and asked, "But isn't he doing the same thing that Miss Joey can do? Change her form?"

"That's different, lad," Dori chided. "Miss Joey hasn't tried to kill us."

Relief sagged throughout Joey's body as a smile plants itself on the girls face, and even Saber purrs at the acceptance.

"Do you see?" Thorin hummed, placing a small kiss onto Joey's forehead. "We do no see you as that monster."

Joey smiled and leans up to kiss Thorin on the cheek, a thank you. "Yeah, I know. But I'm similar to Beorn more than you think."

But before Thorin could ask more on the subject, Gandalf gathered the attention of the company. "Alright now, get some sleep. You'll be safe here tonight."

The company nods and began finding places to sleep. Joey ends up right beside Thorin and cuddles close, but even though she's comfortable enough to actually sleep, the wonderful thing that is sleep eludes her. All that goes through Joey's mind is the stories she was told about how shifters once couldn't control the feral side. And she didn't want to endanger the company, not with Saber.

_**~Worry not, Joanna,~ **_Saber purred in her mind_**. ~I may joke that I want to eat the dwarves, but they are dear to you, and I have taken a liking to this Thorin.~ **_Joey chuckled at the purr Saber gave at thoughts of Thorin.

But the fact that her feral mind and herself are one and the same, Joey doesn't have to worry about Saber ever taking over her and attacking the company. The feral apparently approved of the company.

And at that comforting thought, sleep finally came upon Joey, who purred contently when Thorin wrapped his arms around her torso.


	2. Meeting Beorn

Testing Love

Chapter Two

Meeting Beorn

In the wee hours of the morning, the bear shifter, Beorn, finally returned to his home. Finally back in control of his mind, and no longer a slave to his feral side. Beorn stood at seven to eight feet tall, his hair black and matted, just like his feral animal side. His face is long and bear like, and his body is lean and muscular. The embodiment of a bear.

Beorn entered his home and the scent of strangers filtered into his mind. Dwarves, a wizard, and a female . . . shifter? A female feline shifter was in his home, and he didn't like it. A soft growl passed his lips as he looked over the group, but he didn't catch a glimpse of the female.

"Take another step and my fangs will meet your neck," a cool voice replied, making Beorn turn around and face the female sitting on his kitchen table.

"You are like me . . ." Beorn hummed. "A creature . . ." His body relaxed, knowing that the female will not attack as long as her friends are safe. Beorn mentally shrugged, opting to keep the dwarves alive while he gets answered from the female.

The brunette female scoffed. "I may be a creature, but I don't lose myself when Saber takes over."

"Saber?" the bear asked, and eyebrow raised. "The feral you?"

"Yes," the female sighed, her golden eyes glowing in the moonlight. "Saber is my feral side. But the human part of me is named Joanna." The bear nodded his greeting, but as he opened his mouth to introduce himself, Joey held up her hand. "Save it. I got the run down by Gandalf over there, but, I want to hear it from your lips."

"Hear what?" Beorn growled.

"Is it true you cannot control your feral side?" Joey asked, her golden eyes zeroing in on Beorn's face.

"No skin-changer can," the dark haired male drawled out, sitting at his kitchen table.

"Shifter."

"What was that?" Beorn asked.

"I hate that word, skin-changer," Joey stated, looking over at the company. "I call myself a shifter, since I can shift into another form."

"Shifter . . ." Beorn purred out. "I agree, it's better." The bear then looked at the group. "Do they accept you? Do they even know what you are?"

Joey laughed. "Yeah, they know."

Beorn glances at the girl and notices the nervous look in her eye as she looks over her friends. "Do they know what could happen if your feral side takes over completely?"

" . . ." For the first time in a long time, Joanna Stark what quiet.

TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL

Thorin Oakenshield awoken in a daze like state when he heard the door to the house he, and his company, were taking refuge in. The second it clicked in his mind that the owner of the home, the bear skin-changer, Thorin was wide awake.

Feeling around for his weapon, Thorin made the painful discovery that his Joanna was not at his side. His eyes snapped open and he looked around, but he couldn't find her. Just as he was going to open his mouth to whisper for her name, Thorin stopped as he heard two people talking. One voice was Joanna. The other . . . it must be the bear.

"Do they know what could happen if your feral side takes over?" It was the other person's voice, and Thorin found himself wanting to hear the answer.

TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL

"I . . ." Joey sighed, running her hand through her tangled hair. "Yes and no . . . "

"What do you mean, little feline?" Beorn asked, and the way he called her feline wasn't an insult, but more of a concern tone.

"Yes, they know I have a wild side, but they don't know the most of it . . ." Joey admitted, pulling her knees up to her chest, and resting her arms on her knees. "I have a pretty good relationship with Saber, my other half, but I'm scared . . . One day she'll snap and kill anything in sight . . ." Joey glanced back at where her beloved, Thorin, slept and then glanced back at Beorn. "My parents told me stories when I was a kid about how important it was to tame your beast, because if not, the beast could snap and go into a blind killing spree . . ."

"I understand that," Beorn stated, looking up at the sky. "There are many nights when I would plead with the bear in my mind not to take any lives . . . But he would not listen." Running a large hand over his tired eyes, Beorn continued. "Whenever he takes control, it's like hooks baiting themselves into my skull and taking over every thought I had in my brain until the part that makes me human is shoved to the back of my skull." Beorn looks at his hands, reliving the moments when he would wake up and they would be covered in blood. "It's the worst feeling in the world. I commend you on how well you can work with your feral side, just be careful."

"Saber would never turn on me willingly . . ." Joey defended, praying that the statement she declared was true.

_**~Agreed.~ **_Saber purred at the back of her mind.

"Maybe so, but worst comes to worst, and the beast is pushed past it's breaking point, it may be over then," Beorn warned. "But, you have a good head on your shoulders, I merely want you to know the dangers of having the beast, since you still look so young."

"Oi! I am twenty-two, alright?" Joey snapped, making the tense air around the shifters friendly agian. "I'm not a cub."

Beorn chuckled and looked back over the company. "These dwarves, they are dear to you, aren't they?"

Joey's smile got even bigger. "They're my family. When mine were . . ." Joey searched her mind for the perfect word, since she was getting tired of saying how they were slaughtered. It made her family seem like just a side of meat. "When my family was taken from me, these guys took me in like I've always belonged here, you know?" Joanna's golden eyes locked onto Thorin's form again, and this time, Beorn noticed.

"But there is one that you care greatly for." It wasn't even a question. Joey sighed, but a smile found it's way onto her lips as her eyes never left Thorin's form. What was the point in denying it. "I see I am right. Has your feral side claimed him?"

Joey stiffened for a second before looking over at Beorn. "Well . . ." Joey started, before stretching out her body and sitting cross-legged and resting an elbow on her knee, and resting her head on her hand. "I'm not sure. I mean, Saber likes him, but she hasn't growled out 'MINE' all possessive like."

"Are you sure that's how she would claim someone?" Beorn asked, an amused look on his face.

Shrugging, Joey leaned back on her hands. "That's how my dad explained how it was when he seen mom, so I guess it would be similar . . ."

"Every claiming is different, little feline."

"I know . . ." Joey said, trailing off her sentence.

Beorn chuckled and smiled. "But you want Saber to claim him."

Joey's shoulders sagged. "More than anything in the world, but what if he doesn't want to be claimed?"

TLTLTLTLTLTLTL

The uncertainty in her voice broke something in Thorin. Did Joanna really believe that he didn't want to be with her?

Given, the King of the Lonely Mountain normally wouldn't enjoyed being claimed by any one, but the thought of the feral side of his Joanna growling out "Mine," sent a wave of pleasurable shivers down his spine.

Deciding he had enough spying on Joanna and the bear, he decided to make his presence known.

TLTLTLTLTLTL

"Do you really believe I wouldn't like being claimed by you, my Joanna?" Thorin's deep, velvet voice asked in the darkness of the night, making the shifters look at him.

Joanna squeaked and blushed madly. "I-I-I-I . . ." But that's when she heard it.

_**~...mine...~ **_It was soft and spoken in a purr, but there wasn't a doubt. Saber has spoken_**. ~A male of worth is Thorin. I merely wished to see how he would react to being MINE.~**_

Joanna couldn't stop the grin on her face, and she practically skipped over to Thorin and wrapped her arms around him. She was so excited, that she didn't even realized that Beorn had left so that her and Thorin could speak.

"Why did you not tell me?" Thorin asked, caressing the side of Joey's face, looking into her golden eyes.

"Which part . . .?" Joey asked, looking down, somewhat ashamed.

"Everything."

The tiger looked up at Thorin and sighed. "I was scared, okay? I've always been scared, but I put on this brave face, trying to act all tough, but there's that underlying fear," she stated, looking down. "What if Saber goes mad . . .?"

"She will not," Thorin stated, making Joey look at him again. "I haven't met this crazy Saber, but I remember meeting the teasing one that saved us from trolls." Joanna snorted a laugh at the memory. All the dwarves sworn up and down that she was going to eat them. "I promise you, I won't let you lose control."

Joey grinned and wrapped her arms around Thorin's neck and kissed him, a thank you. She's always wanted to hear those words from someone. To hear that she wasn't going to go lose control and kill someone. That's the real fear she has, hurting someone close.


	3. Journey To Mirkwood

Testing Love

Chapter Three:

Journey Through the Forest

When the couple finally went back inside the house, Thorin and Joanna realize that the rest of the group has finally decided to wake up. Smiling, the couple walked over to the table and joined the group for breakfast, and instantly, Beorn looks to the leader.

"So, you are the one they call Oakenshield," the bear shifter drawls out, looking over the man. "Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

A soft growl passed through the lips of the Tiger Shifter in the group, making Beorn look at her. "That asshole? What's he got to do with this?"

Beorn chuckled at the fire that sparked in Joanna's golden eyes. "My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north." Joanna raised an eyebrow at that. "The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved."

Joanna's eyes snapped open wide. "Enslaved?" she drawled out. For the past few months, Joanna thought she had the roughest thing happen to her family, them being killed. But now she realized it could have been far worse as she looked at the shackles around Beorn's wrists. Her people could have been enslaved and used for labor, or for something worse. "Why were they enslaved? Work force?"

Beorn scoffed. "That would have been too good for my people in the Orcs eyes. They enslaved us for sport." The bear shifter watched as Joanna's eyes dilated, her anger spiking higher. "Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse the Defiler."

By now, Joanna's claws were biting into her skin, threatening to draw blood at this news. And apparently, Saber didn't like the news as well, since her canines grew in Joanna's mouth, making the girl seem more feral than normal.

Deciding it was a good time to change the subject matter, Beorn asked the wizard, "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"

Gandalf nodded his head. "Before Durin's Day falls, yes."

"Then you are running out of time," Beorn snorted.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood," Gandalf stated, making a stance that signaled that he wasn't going to change his mind, no matter what Beorn through at him.

But the bear shifter wasn't going to shoot Gandalf down. Instead, "A darkness lies upon that forest," he warned. "Feel things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."

Gandalf didn't seem shaken at the news. "We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe."

"Safe?!" Beorn laughed. "The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous." Oh, that definitely made the Company feel SOOOO much better. "But it matters not."

That caught the leader's attention. "What do you mean?"

Beorn stood up and looked over the company. "These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, yet you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive."

Joey growls slightly looking at the shifter. "Do not doubt our abilities," she warned. She may have bonded with the bear earlier that morning, but she doesn't take kindly to people mocking their journey, or talking it down.

"Your abilities are not what I doubt, little feline. But the ruthlessness of the Orcs, and their Warg packs will make it impossible," Beorn reasoned before turning to look at the leader, Thorin. "I do not like dwarves," he stated, hearing a low rumble from Joey. "But, Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL

It wasn't long after that that the group was saddled up and riding towards Mirkwood, led by Gandalf. Well . . . Most of the company were saddled up. Joey decided to make it a bit more exciting and decided to race the horses and allow Saber free for a bit.

"_**It feels so good to be running,"**_ Saber hummed out, racing as fast as she can, keeping up with Thorin.

~Look!~ Joey stated in Saber's mind, focusing their eyes on the forest ahead. Even from this distance, Joey felt uneasy, but the group carried on until they were just outside the forest tree line.

As the group dismounted their ponies and looked at the forest, Saber growled lowly, gaining the attention of Thorin. "Joanna? Is everything well?"

A soft chuckle passed through the white tigers lips as her golden eyes flickered up to Thorin. _**"Sorry, mister sexy pants. It's not Joey you're talking to. I am Saber."**_

"Saber?" the bugler hobbit asked, looking over the tiger. "Who is Saber?! Joey, is this some kind of trick?"

The tiger scoffed, turning her eyes to the company, finally breaking eye contact with Thorin. _**"It is no joke, hobbit,"**_ she snarled out. _**"I am Saber, Joanna's feral side."**_

"Feral side?" Fili asked, moving up to stand by his uncle. "What's a feral side?"

Saber chuckled._** "I am like Beorn's bear side." **_Insert instant panic from the company here._** "Do not worry," **_Saber sighed out._** "I won't eat you, I have more control than that bear."**_

"How?" Kili demanded, keeping a steady hand on his bow and arrows. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Miss Joanna. But if this beast is taken over her, he will.

Saber growled lowly._** "Because unlike that stubborn bear, Joanna and I share the same mind. Whatever I feel, she feels. Whatever she thinks, I hear," **_Saber tried to explain._** "I may be feral, but I am NO blind and crazy animal. And to prove it, I am putting Joanna back in charge."**_And with that, the tiger began to glow as her feature's turn back into a human form, and before everyone could blink, Joanna stood there again.

"Jeez guys," Joanna groaned out. "Saber's not gonna hurt you, you can trust her." Shaking her head, the girl of the group looked up at the large sculpted gates that lead into the entrance of the forest. "Wow, what's this?"

"The Elven Gates," Gandalf answered, looking over the archway and into the forest. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood."

Dwalin look around behind them, clearly on guard. "No signs of the Orcs. We have luck on our side."

A new scent caught Joey's nose as she looked around for it, facing behind the group. In the distance, there was Beorn in his bear form, growling some words out. It seems that Joanna's talk with him helped slightly with bear form.

Smiling, she turned back to the group. "Beorn says to let the ponies loose, and they'll return back home." Nodding, the group began taking their supplies off the ponies and began to walk to the forest.

Bilbo was the first one to stand near the forest. He felt something off about it. "This forest feels . . ." the hobbit searched his mind for a bit to find the right word. "Sick."

Joanna walked up beside him and sniffed at the wind blowing from the forest and shivered. "It smells like a disease lies upon it . . ." she hummed, covering her mouth and nose from the forest.

"Is there no way around?" Bilbo asked, looking up at Gandalf.

"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south," the wizard hummed, walking into the entrance of Mirkwood, while the company watched.

"Great," Joey hummed, sarcastically.

"What is wrong?" Thorin asked, standing beside the tiger.

Joey shrugged and leaned against Thorin. "It feels totally off here . . . Like it's a trap or something . . ."

Suddenly, Gandalf emerges from the forest and began speed walking towards Nori, who was just about to unfinish unsaddling Gandalf's horse. "Not my horse!" he cried out. "I need it!" The company looks up and murmurs in surprise.

"You're leaving?" Joey asked, raising an eyebrow before looking back at the forest. What spoked him all of a sudden?

"I would not do this unless I had to," Gandalf vaguely explained before turning his attention to Bilbo.

That's when Joey stepped back. She didn't need to hear the wizards good-bye. If he felt like he had somewhere else more important to be, let him go. She couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed since Gandalf mentioned before that he wouldn't leave them, but now he's willingly leaving them, and all because of something that happened in that fucking forest.

Joanna caught herself baring her fangs at the forest, cursing it deeply, as if the thing was alive. Just about the second Joey was going to growl at the forest, Gandalf's voice rung over.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor," the wizard stated, looking at each of the company in turn. "Keep the map and key safe, and do not enter the mountain without me." He then makes eye contact, and holds it, with Thorin. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion." That caught Joey's attention. "It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray?" Bilbo asked, looking to Dwalin. "What does that mean?"

"Yeah, serious," Joey stated, glancing back at Mirkwood. "It's just a forest . . ." But even that statement didn't convince her.

"You must stay on the path," Gandalf stated. "Do not leave it, if you do, you will never find it again." Softly, he clicked his tongue, urging his horse to go. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"

And with that, the Company is down one wizard.


	4. Let Us Go

**AN: SORRY FOR THE DELAY! I WAS SO BUSY AND I DIDN'T GET AROUND TO WRITING! I FEEL SO BAD SO HERE'S AN EXTRA LONG CHAPTER!**

Testing Love

Chapter Four:

Let Us Go

Joey watches as Gandalf gallops away on his horse, racing away, as if something scared him. "So . . . What now?" Joanna asked, looking back at the Company.

"We must reach the Lonely Mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day," Thorin stated, taking a step towards the forest. Without thinking, Joey grabbed his arm tightly. "Joanna?"

"This forest . . . I don't like it . . ." the girl murmured. "It smells sick . . ."

"Let's go!" Dwalin shouted, placing his axe on his shoulder and walking bravely into the forest.

Joey gripped Thorin's arm tighter, a cold chill wrecking through her body. "Thorin . . ."

Thorin merely stepped over to the worried girl and kisses her forehead. "Do not worry, Joanna. This is our one chance to find the hidden door," he reassured. "We will stick to the path, and it will be fine."

Joey, the tiger of the group, took a nervous breath as Thorin follows Dwalin into Mirkwood. As she released the breath, she began following the Company into the sickly forest and tried to calm her nerves. Nothing helped. It got to the point where Joanna needed to focus on the forest floor, on the paved path that began at the Elven Gate. That seemed to help slightly.

As the Company keep following the path through out the forest, Joey noticed some things about the path. It twisted and turns all over the different types of terrain. At one point, the leaves from the trees fell onto the path, making it harder to see the paved stone.

"What now . . ." Joey muttered, noticing they were at a crossroad like point, with leaves everywhere.

Dwalin steps up and taps the handle of his weapon on the group, finding the paving stones of the trail. "This way."

The longer they walked, the more Joey notices how the forest is affecting her. Her senses, that could get her out of any type of situation, are now of that of a plain old human. Constantly, Joey turns her head up, trying to smell the company. The only one she can smell is the one ahead of her, Bofur.

"Air . . ." he was muttering, wiping his forehead. "I need air."

"My head . . ." Oin muttered, his steps begining to falter. "It's spinning."

Joey turned around and helped Oin down before she heard something she definitely didn't want to hear.

"THE PATH! IT'S DISAPPEARED!" It was Nori, who started taking the lead after Dwalin a few miles back.

"Disappeared?!" Joey and Thorin snap.

Joey moves from beside Oin and dashes up to Nori and skids to a stop, noticing that the "path" they were following led them to a steep cliff.

"Fuck . . ." Joey muttered, looking down at the cliff. "We wandered off the path . . ." The words of Gandalf fluttering in her mind, that leading off the path equaled death.

"Find it!" Thorin ordered, stepping into the role as the Company's leader. "Look for the path!"

For the next few hours, the Company clumsily walk around the forest, which was affecting them mentally. They were all slowly drowning in madness. At one point, Joey falls down to her knees, and could swear she heard her family. Shaking her head, she snapped her head around and let out a soft tiger's roar, listening for a response. She didn't hear a thing.

_**~Focus, Joanna,~ **_Saber muttered in her mind. _**~The forest is playing a trick on you.~**_

"I know . . ." Joey states, standing back up. Joey let out a soft sigh, trying to clear and relax herself. When she came back to reality, she hears that the company is softly arguing with themselves.

"We're going around in circles . . ." Bilbo Baggins softly states, his eyes going wide and looking at Joey. "We're lost . . ." Suddenly, in a fit of desperation, the young hobbit begins looking around for a solution, and looks towards the tree canopy, noticing a ray of sunlight. "The sun . . ." he muttered.

Joey raises an eyebrow before it clicks in her mind what Bilbo was hinting at. "If we find the sun, we can finally get out of this damn place . . ."

Right that moment, Joey looks at the Company only to see that everyone was fighting. Growling, Joey was about to let out a loud roar before Thorin snaps at the group.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted. "Quiet! All of you, we're being watched."

That made Joey stiffen, and look around. Due to her senses being jacked up by the forest, she couldn't hear anybody, other than the fighting dwarves. Tapping Thorin on the shoulder, she points to Bilbo and makes a motion of climbing a tree. Taking that cue, the small hobbit makes a dash up the three.

Joanna grins widely as her small friend climbs the tree, before her ears pick up on a sound. She narrows her brow, trying to place the strange sound. "Hey, Thorin, did yo- AHHHHH HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" she screams.

When she turned around, about to talk to Thorin, instead of her loved one standing there, it was a monstrous side spider. The body of the spider reminds Joey of a Black Widow spider. A small main body and a huge back side. The four outer legs are longer than the four middle legs.

Joey tries to spring away from the hideous spider, only to trip. The spider had done sprayed its web on her leg. Turning her fingernails into sharpened claws, Joey tries slicing at the web, but it was too late. The spider began spinning Joey into a web, who was struggling to get free. In the middle of the struggle, the spider slammed the girl of the group into the ground, knocking her unconscious, and dangled her beside the rest of her comrades.

TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL

Joey wakes up, groaning. "Ow . . . Did someone get the license plate off the truck that hit me . . .?" she asked, trying to raise up. That didn't work. "The fu-"

The cursing was cut off when memories flooded Joey's mind about the spider spinning her up in a web. A visible shiver went throughout her body as Joey tries to free herself. "It had to be fucking SPIDERS!" she whispered to herself. "The enemy couldn't have been a fucking snake or something . . . NO! It had to be a fucking spider!"

Suddenly, she felt herself plummeting to the ground as she began clawing her way out of the web. Just as she clawed an opening, her back slammed into the ground, making her groan. Once completely free, Joanna jumps up and looks around, noticing the rest of her comrades were freeing themselves from their own prison cell of webbing.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur asked as they all freed themselves.

Joey's eyes snapped open and she looked around. "BILBO!" she screaming, searching for her dear friend, hoping the spiders didn't eat him. "BILBO!"

She was stopped by the spider that captured her before. Growling softly, Joey's claws extended as she was ready to fight this creature. Roaring loudly, Joey lunged at the spider, slicing at its front legs. The second Joey had an opportunity, she jumped onto the spider and sliced at it's head, killing it quickly, before running to help her friends.

Once the last damn spider surrounding them was destroyed, the company ran through the forest, trying to find their hobbit. More spiders began to descend on the company, who were preparing for a fight, only to have the spider's head be pierced by a arrow.

Joey raised an eyebrow. "Did Hawkeye arrive?" she murmured, looking for the source of the arrow.

Suddenly, a blond elf slides on the forest floor, appearing before Thorin. Knocking another arrow onto his bow, the elf pointed his bow at Thorin. Immediately a low growl comes from the back of Joey's throat. Neither her or Saber like the new intruder. Just as she was prepared to lunge at the Elf that was threatening Thorin, several more Mirkwood elves appear, drawing arrows and pointing them at the company.

The blond elf glared at Thorin. "Do not think I will not kill you, dwarf. It would be my pleasure."

Joey steps up, making some of the elves focus their arrows on her. "And it would be my pleasure to sink my fangs into your throat, you damn Hawkeye wanna be!" she growls

"Hawkeye wanna be?" the elf slowly drawled out. "I am Legolas, son an Thanduil. And you will speak no more, wench."

Joanna growled lowly, about to snap some smart ass remark again, only for Thorin to grip her arm.

"Search them!" Legolas ordered.

The elves approached the dwarves and begins searching them. The one that searched Joey finished the quickest, seeing that she had no weapons on her person at all. Another elf confiscates two of Fili's knives.

Legolas pulls a picture frame with two pictures out of Gloin's pocket.

"Hey!" Gloin shouted. "Give it back! That be private!"

"Who is this?" Legolas wondered, looking at the first picture. "Your brother?"

Gloin looked heavily insulted. "That is my wife!"

Joey snorts a laugh. "Of course these moronic elves couldn't tell the differece between a boy and a girl." Legolas sent her a glare, to which she just flips him the bird. "Fuck off Lego's."

Legolas looks back at the picture. "And what is this horrid creature? A goblin mutant?"

"That's my wee lad, Gimli," Gloin stated with pride.

Joey watched Legolas with cold eyes as he searches Thorin. The blond elf pulls out the sword that was given to Thorin at Rivendell. "Where did you get this?"

Thorin raised an eyebrow at the question. "It was given to me."

Legolas hissed at Thorin and points the sword at Thorin. "Not just a thief, but a liar as well!" Suddenly, the elf shouted in the Elven language and the company was being lead away.

Joey speeds up next to Thorin and whispers, "What about Bilbo?"

Thorin looks around, realizing that they in fact never found the hobbit. "I do not know, Joanna."

Joey's shoulder slump forward, not wanting to leave her dear friend behind, but it wasn't like she could go off and find him. Not without most likely taking an arrow to the knee, courtesy of Hawkeye-Wanna-Be watching her.

TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL

The company is lead over a bridge and into the Woodland Realm, home to the Mirkwood Elves. As they are being lead through the palace of elves, Thorin is suddenly being escorted away from the group.

Joey's eyes wide and she takes a step to join him, only to be cut off by Legolas. The elf grips her arms tightly, which results in Joey snapping her head towards the elf, baring her fangs.

The sight of her fangs doesn't phase the elf too much, as he continues to escort her and the rest of the company down to the holding cells.

"THIS IS NOT THE END OF THIS!" Dwalin yells as he was pushed into a cell. "YOU HEAR ME!?"

"LET US OUT OF HERE!" Gloin yelled, as did Dori. More and more of the dwarves begin yelling at the elves to release them.

Legolas takes Joey to her cell and throws her inside. "Fitting. A beast in a cage," he murmured, giving her a mocking smirk.

"Be lucky I can't get out of her, Lego. Or else my claws would be in your throat," Joanna hisses, lunging at the cage, swiping at Legolas. The blond elf merely scoffs at her and leaves to meet with the rest of the elves.

The company begins trying to bust through the doors, trying to free themselves. Balin stops them with a horrible realizing fact. "Leave it!" he shouts. "There's no way out. This is no Orc dungeon; these are the halls of the Woodland Realm. No one leaves here but by the king's consent."

"We're fucked," Joey muttered. The rest of the company groans at the realization and all slump against the walls of their prison cells.

Joey looks up at the ceiling of her cell, and decides to lighten up the mood by humming a little song she used to sing for the cubs in her family.

"What are you humming, Joey?" Ori asked, his cell being across the way from hers.

"Just a song I used to sing for my nieces and nephews."

"Can you sing it? It's better than all this silence . . ." Ori complains.

Chuckling, Joey stands up and thinks. "Sure, but I'm gonna change the words to fit our situation." And with that, she softly begins to sing.

_The cell grows cold in Mirkwood tonight_

_Not a elf to be seen_

_A kingdom of isolation_

_And an asshole is the king_

The dwarves in their cell begin laughing at that. All of them went from sitting in the back of their cells to moving up to the doors to listen to Joey's song, as if trying to forget exactly where they were.

_The trees are howling_

_Like the dwarves inside_

_Can't keep us in,_

_Heaven knows they've tried._

At that, the group whooped and hollered, agreeing with that last bit.

_Don't keep us in_

_Why don't you see?_

_We're the good guys_

_You always want to be!_

_Listen_

_Don't be;_

_Don't be your king!_

_Don't be Thanduil!_

_Let us go!_

_Let us Go!_  
><em>Can't keep us here anymore<em>

_Let us go!_

_Let us go!_  
><em>Turn the key and open the door<em>

At that point, some of the dwarves were humming the tune she was singing, making the song truly come to life.

_I don't care_

_What Thanduil's going to say_

_Let the door open wide_

_Jail doesn't fit me anyway_

The company began hollering again, laughing with Joey as the silly song she was singing but everything stopped when the main doors leading towards the cells opened.

A familiar scent hit Joey's nose and she ran to her cell doors, getting a glimpse of Thorin heading her way. When they stopped, the guards threw Thorin into the cell next to Joanna.

"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asked, hope in his voice.

"He did," Thorin stated, making everyone's eyes wide. Did their leader really give in? "I told him he could go 'Ish Kakhfe ai'd dur rugnu!' Him and all his kin."

Joey blinked at the dwarvish language used. "So . . . Is that basically your way of telling him to shove it up his royal ass?"

"Well . . . That's it then," Balin states. "A deal was our only hope."

And just like that, the group was back into their funk. Joey side and slid down her cell wall and tried to think of a way out of here, until a shadow fell onto her cell. "Stand up, wench. The Elven King wants to see you."

Joey raised an eyebrow and stands up as her cell is opened. "His royal assness wants to see me? I'm sooooo honored~!" Joey muttered sarcastically. The guard merely grabbed her arm and began taking her towards Thanduil's throne room.


End file.
